Judge sets Zimmerman bail at $150K

SANFORD, Fla. — George Zimmerman can be released on $150,000 bail as he awaits trial for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a judge ruled Friday during a hearing that saw Zimmerman apologize to Martin's parents for the teenager's death.

Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester set several conditions Friday for Zimmerman's release, which he said would not occur Friday, but he did not say when exactly Zimmerman could go free.

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Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, also wants his client to be allowed to live in another state because of threats made against him, and wear a GPS monitor to track his whereabouts.

Zimmerman, 28, is charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of the 17-year-old Martin. He claims self-defense and has said Martin was the aggressor in their confrontation at a gated community where Martin was staying. Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer at the community, where he also lived.

The lack of an arrest for 44 days spurred protests nationwide in which participants chanted and held signs that said, "Arrest Zimmerman Now!"

Wearing a charcoal suit, white shirt and gray tie — but also shackled and appearing to have on a bulletproof vest — Zimmerman took the witness stand to deliver a short statement to Martin's parents, who were there.

"I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son. I did not know how old he was. I thought he was a little bit younger than I am. I did not know if he was armed or not," Zimmerman said in his first public comments about the shooting.

The judge said he would hold another hearing on whether Zimmerman could go out of state if details could not be worked out with law enforcement.

Zimmerman cannot have any firearms, drink alcohol or use illegal drugs and must observe a curfew between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Zimmerman surrendered his passport at the start of the hearing.